Daijiworld Media Network - Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Oct 13: In a historic moment hailed as a turning point in the Israel-Gaza conflict, former U.S. President Donald Trump declared Monday a “great and beautiful day” following the release of 20 Israeli hostages by Hamas, marking a key milestone in his proposed Gaza peace initiative.

Touching down at Ben-Gurion International Airport earlier in the day, Trump was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. His visit comes as part of a high-profile diplomatic mission that included meetings with families of the freed hostages and an address to the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset — making him only the fourth U.S. president to do so.

Signing the Knesset guestbook with his signature black Sharpie, Trump penned:

"This is my great honour. A great and beautiful day, a new beginning.
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Speaking to reporters later at the Knesset, Trump confirmed that "the war in Gaza is over," describing the atmosphere in Israel as euphoric.

"This is a great day. This is a whole new beginning, and I think there's never been an event like it. The love in the streets has just been incredible," he said, according to The Times of Israel.

When pressed about potential consequences for Hamas should it breach the ceasefire agreement, Trump was succinct: "They'll comply."

Reflecting on the hostage release, he expressed joy for their families:

"We're so happy for them. They're going to be happy and they're going to have a great life. They've been very brave."

Earlier in the day, Hamas handed over all 20 surviving hostages, a move widely seen as a breakthrough in de-escalating the ongoing conflict and a central component of Trump’s peace framework for the region.

Before boarding his flight to Israel, Trump described the moment as unprecedented:

"This is going to be a very special time... There are 500,000 people yesterday and today in Israel. And also, the Muslim and Arab countries are all cheering. Everybody's cheering at one time. That’s never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t."

He added:

"This is the first time everybody is amazed, and they’re thrilled. It’s an honour to be involved, and we’re gonna have an amazing time — something that’s never happened before."

Trump’s visit is being closely watched around the world as a potential inflection point in Middle East diplomacy, with leaders hoping this moment of unity could lay the groundwork for long-term regional stability.